Gifted
by AquaFreez
Summary: The small kit tossed the dead mouse into the air, about two cat’s height above her. She sprang into the air and caught it in her mouth before softly landing in the leaves. Rated T for future violence- as you know, Warriors has lots of it.
1. Chapter 1

**There was a fire in the kit's lilac eyes. She sat under a bush. Firestar nearly missed her as he walked by. Her black and gray fur was puffed up. She didn't smell of any clan, nor did she smell like a rogue or a kitty pet. Firestar backed away from her to watch. She seemed like she was doing something. Then a small, gray shape rose from the earth in front of the kit. With amazing reflexes, she leapt forward and her tiny, thorn-sharp claws pierced into the mouse before it could see what hit it. Firestar watched in awe. The small kit tossed the dead mouse into the air, about two cat's height above her. She sprang into the air and caught it in her mouth before softly landing in the leaves. Firestar quietly stepped out from his hiding place. **

" **Well done." He mewed. The kit looked at him warily. She obviously didn't want to speak, for she thought that Firestar might steal her prey if she put it down. **

" **I won't take it, you can talk to me." Firestar meowed. The kit warily put down her prey. Firestar repeated himself. **

" **Well done." He mewed again. The kit grunted. **

" **I guess so." She meowed, sounding unconvinced. **

" **What is your name?" Firestar asked. She flicked her tail uncomfortably. **

" **I don't got one." She meowed impatiently. **

" **Where do you come from?" Firestar meowed. **

" **I don't know." The kit mewed quietly. " I was abandoned here, all alone." Her voice sounded soft and vulnerable. **

" **Do you know of the clans?" Firestar meowed. **

" **Oh, that's what you call those cats always streaking around? There are more than one?" **

" **Yes." Firestar nodded. **

" **What about 'em?" the kit asked, her lilac eyes round. **

" **You're on ThunderClan territory." Firestar pointed out. **

" **Oh?" The kit said, thrashing her tail defensively, and shifting into a crouch, " Is that a challenge?" Firestar stood his ground. **

" **No." He said, looking down on the kit. The kit immediately stood up straight. She looked at him curiously. **

" **Well, then what are you saying?" She spat. **

" **You need to go home." Firestar meowed simply. **

" **Don't you see," The kit squealed, " I don't **_**have a home." Firestar looked at the kit. He didn't know what to say. **_

" _**Come with me." He mewed after a long pause. The kit picked up her mouse before she followed him. She padded along silently after him. He stopped outside the camp entrance. **_

" _**Would you like to be a ThunderClan cat?" He asked her. Her eyes lit up. She nodded vigorously before stopping. **_

" _**Wait, I don't exactly understand what a Clan is." She mewed around the mouse in her mouth. **_

" _**Well, the Clans are like a large family. We all care for each other. We have to defend our territory from the other clans. There are apprentices. When an apprentice is ready, they become a Warrior. Does that clear things up?" Firestar mewed. The kit nodded. **_

" _**But you're still not old enough to be an apprentice, yet." He added. As he walked into the camp, the other cats looked at the kit in surprise. One of the warrior's , Sandstorm bounded up to them. **_

" _**Hi, Firestar." She purred, looking at him for a moment longer before shifting her gaze to the kit. **_

" _**Who's this?" She mewed curiously. **_

" _**I found her." Firestar meowed. **_

" _**I mean what is her name?" Sandstorm mewed. **_

" _**I don't have one yet." The kit squeaked through the mouse. Sandstorm looked at the kit. **_

" _**Oh, I understand." She meowed kindly. She flicked her pale tail and the pale ginger she-cat strode away. Firestar couldn't keep back the wild purr that rose from his chest. The kit looked up at him. Her light purple eyes were strong and knowing. Firestar ran up and leapt onto the Highrock. The kit followed and hardly put any effort into the jump. He Didn't need to call the clan, most cats were already gathering under in the clearing. Firestar saw his medicine cat, Cinderpelt limp from her den. Firestar looked around the clearing. By now, he was used to addressing his Clan. **_

" _**Cats of ThunderClan, I have found this cat in the forest. She has no home, and no name. I wish for her to join our Clan. Her name shall be Rosekit." Firestar had given this name very much thought. He had concluded that she, like a rose, was delicate and beautiful, but also had thorns. The name suited her. Graystripe sat in the below the Highrock, next to Sandstorm. She gazed up at him from her place, her green gaze was filled with her love for him. He returned her gaze. Rose kit looked up at Firestar. She licked her chest for a moment. Then gazed out over the Clan. **_

" _**Is this the Clan?" She mewed to him so softly that only he could hear. **_

" _**Yes." Firestar answered. She dipped her head. **_

" _**What is your name? I'd like to know." She mewed, " I'd at least want to know one cat's name." Firestar realized that he had never told her his name. He looked down at her. **_

" _**I am your leader, Firestar." He meowed quietly. Rosekit purred. Then stopped. She shivered. She felt like she knew that name. **_

" _**Firestar, do I know you?" She asked. Firestar looked at her in surprise. She began to wonder if she'd said something wrong. **_

" _**No." He said. **_

" _**But I remember hearing your name. Are you sure?" She asked. **_

" _**Yes, I'm sure." He meowed. He leapt from the Highrock and into his den, just at the base. Rosekit followed him. When she walked in he was on a bed of moss, his eyes closed. **_

" _**Firestar?" Rosekit mewed. Firestar's eyes popped open. **_

" _**Yes?" He meowed. **_

" _**Where am I to go?" She mewed, rubbing her pelt against the mouth of the den. Firestar just remembered. He took her to the nursery. **_

" _**You sleep in here." He said, dipping his head through the doorway. **_

" _**Oh, alright." Rosekit nodded. One of the queens was inside with her kits, about the same age as Rosekit by the look of them. Firestar remembered her mouse. **_

" _**Rosekit, why don't you go and fetch your mouse, take it to the elders den, the hollow tree over there and give it to them." Firestar ordered. Rosekit looked up at him with eager eyes. **_

" _**Okay!" She said, already halfway out of the nursery. He saw her leap up to the Highrock, snatch the mouse, and jump down and run over to the elder's den in one fluid motion. He watched the kit and felt happy that he'd been the one to find the kit. He thought that she would make a fine warrior, and had the feeling that he wouldn't have to wait long for her to be a warrior. He watched her run back, she streaked across the clearing, a black and coal gray blur. She sure was fast, he could imagine her as an adult, she would be nearly invisible. She ran back to him, a look of exhilaration on her face. **_

" _**Firestar! I gave my mouse to the elders!" She cried, obviously proud of what she'd done. Firestar looked at her for a moment. **_

" _**Are you listening?" She mewed, sticking her nose up into his face. Firestar shook his head to clear it. **_

" _**Yes. Good job! Did you enjoy talking to the elders?" He mewed. Rosekit rolled onto her back. **_

" _**Oh, yes!" She cried enthusiastically, " Am I allowed to go there when I like to, or do I have to wait until I give them their prey?" **_

" _**Anytime you like." He meowed, " Just not in the middle of the night." She rolled over and went into a playful crouch. She tilted her head to the side and her tail moved from side to side. She gave a playful hiss. **_

" _**I know, I know." She meowed. She plopped onto the ground and lay on her side. **_

" _**Rosekit?" Firestar asked, slightly worried. Rosekit looked up at him. **_

" _**Yes?" She mewed. She blinked many times. Her sides began to fall and rise rhythmically, and her breathing became heavy. Firestar almost laughed, she'd fallen asleep on him. He turned and left into the sunlit clearing. He himself curled up in a sunny spot, his fur glowed like fire, warming him. He felt another cat settle next to him, he looked over, and saw the pale ginger pelt of sandstorm up against him. Unconsciously her leaned closer to her. **_

" _**Do you think I made the right choice, letting her into the Clan?" Firestar meowed. Sandstorm looked at him, puzzled. **_

" _**I think so, she was homeless and hungry. If we let her join the clan then she won't have to hunt on our land as a rogue, she's well cared for, Firestar." Sandstorm purred and rubbed her muzzle against his head. This was very reassuring to him. He laid his head down on his paws and watched the other cats around the clearing. He blinked. Then looked at Sandstorm. **_

" _**Care to go hunting?" He mewed, " I can't stand seeming lazy, and also, the Clan needs fresh kill." Sandstorm leapt up, her eyes full of light. **_

" _**I thought you'd never ask." She said. She raced through the gorse tunnel, and Firestar was hot on her heels. They rushed into the forest, in pursuit of their prey. **_


	2. Chapter 2

**Sandstorm and Firestar's jaws were so stuffed with fresh kill that they had trouble putting it down. Rosekit padded up to Firestar with a worried expression. **

" **Firestar, how come kits aren't aloud to go hunting too?" She meowed grumpily. **

"**Don't take it personally, Rosekit. You're an exquisite hunter, but we're just worried about your safety." Firestar explained. Rosekit brightened. **

" **Oh, okay." She mewed, " Firestar, will you play with me?" Firestar couldn't help feeling a warm tingle through his body. **

" **Okay." He meowed, glancing at Sandstorm, she couldn't hide the amused glimmer in her jade green eyes. **

" **You two have fun." She mewed. Rosekit glanced at her for a moment, before crouching low to the ground. Rosekit pounced, her claws were sheathed, and secretly Firestar didn't want to face her claws, since he had witnessed firsthand what they could do. She clung to his back. Firestar rolled over, and she leapt before he could squash her. She pinned him on his back. He lay motionless for a moment. Rosekit relaxed her grip. **

" **Are you giving up?" She spat playfully. Firestar jumped up, and Rosekit flew across the clearing and skidded to her paws. **

" **It'll take more than that to shake me!" She cried before pouncing at him again. She grabbed his tail between her small paws. He lashed around to swipe at her, and she ran like a Twoleg, using her back paws to run as fast as she could in circle. She let go of his tail and leapt up high. She landed on his back and he fell to the ground. She bent low to his ear. **

" **I beat you." She mewed before hopping off of him. Firestar hopped up. **

" **Yes, but I went easy on you." Firestar huffed. Rosekit glared at him. **

" **I could beat you even if you weren't going easy on me!" she declared boldly. Firestar hissed playfully, and took a swipe at her ear, claws sheathed. Rosekit plopped on the ground and looked to the sky. She sighed. **

" **What is it?" Firestar mewed. Rosekit's lilac eyes swiveled towards Firestar.**

" **I like it here." She murmured dreamily. She rolled over and pressed her little pink nose to Firestar's muzzle. **

" **I'm glad." Firestar purred. Rosekit looked at him with gratefulness in her eye. **

" **Really?" She squeaked, his opinion obviously meant a lot to her. Firestar nodded. **

" **Yes. I'm **_**really **_**glad that I found you." Firestar purred. **

" **Good. You make me feel wanted, Firestar. I like it." She purred, pressing her black and gray pelt to his ginger one, " You know the only reason that I'm here is because my own mother didn't want me." Firestar felt a stab of hurt. He bent down and rested his head on her shoulder. **

" **You know that that's probably not true." He mewed so quietly only she could hear. **

" **Yeah, probably!" She meowed. She ran on back to the nursery. Firestar didn't stop her. He sighed. The poor little she-cat was bothered about her past more than he ever thought. Then he thought about things, it was hardly a moon before Rosekit would be apprenticed. He hoped that she'd be ready. He padded back to his den, and sat in the moss. From inside the den he could see into the nursery. Rosekit sat in the back of the nursery. A much younger kit padded up to her and challenged her to play. Rosekit turned away, leaving the younger kit confused and slightly baffled. The younger kit padded into the clearing, outside the nursery, unnoticed by any queens. Firestar began to pad out to watch it, when he heard a shrill cry from up above. He looked up, there was a large shape covering a spot of blue sky. It began to get bigger, directly above the young kit. The kit only stared at it n utter horror. The Hawk was only inches from the ground. Firestar made a move to grab the kit, but he was too far away. The Hawk's talons were inches from the poor kit. From the nursery, a black-gray blur streaked across the clearing and the kit was pushed out of the Hawk's path. There were deep marks from sharp talons in the place where the astounded kit was just sitting. Firestar sat, watching awe. Standing next to the kit, was none other than Rosekit. Her claws unsheathed, he body stiff with a look of authority , and on her face was a look of flat-out exhilaration. She sucked in a deep breathe and bent her head down to the kit. **

" **Are you alright?" She mewed. The kit looked from Rosekit to the place where he had been standing and back again. He was speechless. Rosekit nudged it with her nose towards the Nursery. Firestar padded out to her. He couldn't muster any words for a few moments. **

" **Astounding." He mewed, " How'd you do it?" Rosekit rolled her eyes. **

" **Well, was anyone else gonna save that scrap of fur?" She mewed, " I just went into action." She turned and saw the kit, still dazed, stumbling towards the nursery. She flicked her tail dismissively. **

" **I don't have to eat in the nursery, do I, Firestar?" Rosekit mewed, a pleading look in her eye. Firestar shook his head . **

" **No, I guess not." He mewed uncertainly. Rosekit licked him on the cheek. **

" **Thank you, Firestar. Honestly, I really don't want to eat with mewling kittens squirming around me and trying to chop my tail off." Rosekit mewed sarcastically, " I already had to save one's life." Firestar nudged her. **

" **Even as a kit, you still have a duty to the clan. The strong must help the weak." Firestar meowed. **

" **And if they can, the weak must help the strong." Rosekit murmured. She looked at him with her burning lilac eyes. **

" **I know." she mewed. Firestar knew that she did. The sun was beginning to set. **

" **Silverpelt will be upon us soon." Firestar murmured, " We may as well eat." Rosekit nodded and leapt out from under the Highrock. She ran over the fresh kill pile and picked up a fat vole. She carried it off to the nettle patch and didn't hesitate to tear it to shreds. Firestar watched he eagerly chomp down the vole, he'd never thought about how hungry she might've been. He grabbed a rabbit and sat down next to her. It wasn't long until Sandstorm joined them. Rosekit finished the vole of quickly, reducing it to nothing except for Rosekit's stained paws and muzzle. She got up, groaned and headed for the nursery as the first flecks of Silverpelt began to dot the fading sky. She curled up in a bed of moss and almost immediately fell asleep. Sandstorm stared after her. **

" **Funny little kit, Rosekit is." Sandstorm meowed. Firestar licked his muzzle. **

" **Yes, but I'm glad I found her." He looked into Sandstorm's clear green eyes. Sandstorm nodded and tucked into her meal. She finished it off with a final gulp . **

" **She'll make a fine warrior." She promised. Firestar finished chewing his mouthful and nodded. **

" **That she will, Sandstorm." Firestar concluded. Sandstorm purred and rested her head against Firestar's shoulder. Firestar sat there with her, purring. The lights of Silverpelt lit up the clearing. Then Firestar remembered, the next Gathering was to be held the next night. He settled his head on his paws. He wondered what he'd say to the other Clan's about Rosekit. **_**StarClan guide me!**_**, he thought. He gave Sandstorm a lick between the ears and padded off to his den. She stared after him, admiring the smooth gliding way he walked. She hesitated, then stalked off to the Warrior's den. Firestar hesitated outside of his den, he looked up to Silverpelt and closed his eyes. He backed into his den and curled up into his mossy bed. A glow of moonlight passed through the opening and lit up his ginger fur. He sighed , and fell unconscious. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Only Three dawns ago, Firestar had found Rosekit, and now, she almost never left his side. He was walking next to her around the clearing one day, listening to her ranting on and on for quite a while. Firestar was deep in thought, her words had no meaning, just a series of mews and meows bubbling outside his thoughts. He was stopped by a little pink nose being shoved into his face, and wide lilac eyes blinking only centimeters from his. **

" **Are you listening to me?" Rosekit squealed. Firestar shook his head to clear it. **

" **Uhh…." He didn't know what to say. Rosekit's eyes narrowed in dismay. **

" **You weren't listening to **_**me**_**!" She moaned, " Firestar! You're the only person I can rely on, if you don't listen to me then who **_**else**_** can I talk to. Certainly not myself." Firestar sighed. **

" **Rosekit," He purred, " you do know that I'll listen to you, but I've got a whole **_**Clan**_** to lead. I can't listen to **_**everything**_** you say." Rosekit let out a frustrated **_**Humph**_**. Firestar looked at her sternly. **

" **S'not fair!" She cried, " You are the **_**only**_** one who'll listen to me, but you're not always there when I need you!" She ran off to the nursery. **

" **Rosekit!" Firestar called after her. He ran into the nursery. Rosekit was curled up in the back corner, lying on a mere scrap of moss. She was trembling violently. Little whimpers could be heard from her. She looked up, her lilac eyes were watery. Immediately, she put her head back down. **

" **Rosekit." Firestar meowed. He padded inside the nursery and lay down by her side. **

" **Rosekit, you know I'd love to have conversations with you, but I'm just so…." He trailed off. **

" **So self centered that you can't even listen to me!" Rosekit spat. Firestar felt taken aback. **

" **No. I was going to say 'busy'!" He mewed. Rosekit's eyes were cold and flashed with hatred. Firestar leapt out of the nursery and unconsciously ran into the medicine cat's clearing. He nearly ran Cinderpelt into the ground as he entered. Cinderpelt dropped a large bundle of herbs onto the ground as Firestar bowled her over. She picked herself up off the ground and bared her teeth. **

" **Firestar!" She scolded, " Be more **_**careful**_**!" She spat. Firestar looked at Cinderpelt. **

" **I'm sorry!" He mewed. He flattened his ears. **

" **Well, you better be!" She hissed, " Now I must pick up all of these herbs!" Firestar bent his head down. **

" **Well, then I'll just leave you to it…" He murmured before beginning to skulk out of the den. Cinderpelt's eyes softened. **

" **Firestar, what's on your mind?" Cinderpelt meowed. Firestar turned and walked back into the little clearing. **

" **Well…" He murmured, " Rosekit's angry with me." **

" **Firestar, you're troubled by a **_**kit**_**?" she seemed confused. **

" **Well yes but…" Firestar began. **

" **Firestar, she's a **_**kit**_**, she's too young to understand these things. Don't let her worry you." Cinderpelt mewed. Firestar pressed his pelt against hers. **

" **Oh, Cinderpelt. You always know what to say." Firestar purred. Cinderpelt blinked. **

" **Well, that's why you came and made such a mess." She meowed crossly. **

" **Cinderpelt, what's wrong?" Firestar asked. Cinderpelt's eyes clouded over. She gazed at something that wasn't there. Her voice sounded robotic and distant. **

" **Blood will be shed; a cat shall sacrifice themselves, for someone who wasn't desperately in need of a savior." Cinderpelt mewed. Firestar shook his head to clear it. **

" **What? Cinderpelt could you repeat that?" Firestar meowed. Cinderpelt blinked a couple times. **

" **What? Did you say something Firestar?" Cinderpelt shifted her blue gaze on him. She turned to see a bright ginger tail disappear through the fern tunnel. She sighed. **

" **Ah, Firestar." She meowed shaking her head. **

**----- **

**Firestar gazed out from his den. He shifted his paws, three kits were to be apprenticed tonight, and he was yet to find mentors. He thought of one person who was worthy: Sandstorm. She'd wanted an apprentice for so long. He decided to give her one of the other kits. He personally wanted to mentor Rosekit, maybe for more personal reasons than he thought, the two other kits, he thought that Graystripe had proved loyalty to ThunderClan, so he'd give him one of the other two kits. He ran out to tell them. He ran into them outside the Warrior's den. **

" **Sandstorm, Graystripe!" He called as he saw them stepping out from the den. Graystripe dipped his head, not like a friend addressing his friend, like a warrior to his leader. **

" **How do you two feel like taking on new apprentices?" He meowed. Sandstorm's eyes lit up. **

" **Oh Firestar!" She mewed, " An apprentice!" **

" **Good, good." Firestar meowed. **

" **Okay." Graystripe shrugged. **

" **Graystripe, be more **_**excited**_**." Sandstorm said, nudging him. **

" **Follow me." Firestar mewed. He ran and leapt onto the Highrock. The three kits sat outside the nursery. The other two kits had sat by their mother, who had taken a place on either side of their mother. Rosekit sat off to the side, her head was down and she nervously shifted her paws. Sandstorm and Graystripe stood behind him. **

" **Will all cats old enough to hunt for themselves please gather below the Highrock for a clan meeting!" He yowled. Cats slunk out of their dens and sat below the Highrock. **

" **Three kits will be apprenticed tonight." Firestar meowed loud enough for all the clan to hear. The three kits slunk forward, Rosekit walked swiftly and easily jumped onto the Highrock before the two other kits had even gotten halfway from the nursery. One kit was an ebony color with pale amber eyes, he walked forward with an intense glow of dignity. The other kit was a tortoise-shell she-cat with dark brown eyes. She walked with a long and choppy swagger. She stumbled more than once, and Firestar heard Rosekit's small giggled when she stumbled. Finally the kit came to the Highrock. She leapt onto it, but she wasn't fast or strong enough to pull herself up. Her claws stuck onto a crag in the rock, helping her keep her hold. Her hind feet scrambled around like a tap dancer in the open air. Her claws lost their hold, and a deafening screech filled the clearing as she slid down the large rock. Her squeals couldn't be heard as for the screeching, but the look in her eyes showed how scared she was. A black and gray blur lunged forward and grabbed the other kit on the scruff, pulling her up onto the rock. The small she-cat glared at Rosekit for a moment, then flattened her ears and whispered her thanks. Firestar glanced at the kit. **

" **Alright, then." He mewed, " Rosekit, I have chosen to be your mentor. I wish to pass bravery and fierceness to you, as well as a swift mind." Rosekit padded forward to touch noses with him, she had obviously overheard the other kit's mother telling her own children what to do. "You shall be known as Rosepaw." Rosekit purred lightly and took sat down next to Firestar. **

" **Heatherkit," Firestar mewed, the tortoise-shell kit stepped forward, she stepped carefully, determined to redeem herself. " You will be mentored by Graystripe. Graystripe, as a mentor, I need you to pass on your loyalty and brightness to Heatherpaw." Heatherpaw carefully padded over to Graystripe to touch noses with him. She sat next to him, and didn't move a muscle, afraid to make another blunder. **

" **Mossykit," Firestar mewed, the ebony kit strode forward. " You shall be mentored by Sandstorm. Sandstorm, I need you, as a mentor, to pass on your speed and determination to Mossypaw." Sandstorm and Mossypaw together to touch noses. The rest of the clan gathered around the three apprentices, congratulating them and wishing them luck. Rosepaw bounded from the crowd and strode up to Firestar. **

" **Oh, Firestar." Rosepaw mewed. " I'm so sorry." Firestar bent over and licked her between the ears. **

" **It's not your fault." Firestar purred. " I understand." Rosepaw looked at him with her burning lilac eyes. Suddenly, Rosepaw looked much older than just six moons. **

" **What I did was inexcusable. It **_**was**_** my fault." Rosepaw's was heavy with sorrow. Rosepaw sighed. She leapt from the Highrock and slunk slowly towards the apprentices den. Firestar leapt after her. **

" **Rosepaw, no, it's not your fault." Firestar mewed gently, " I'll take you out hunting tomorrow." Rose paw turned around, her lilac eyes bursting with excitement. **

" **You men it?" Rosepaw squealed. Firestar nodded. Rosepaw leapt into the air, her head thrashed from side to side and her front paws flailed above her ears. She had jumped so high, Firestar doubted that she'd ever come down. Then, a soft thud landed in front of him. Rosepaw's tail was high, and she mewed triumphantly. **

" **Don't you worry, Firestar, I'll be **_**the best hunter in ThunderClan!" Rosepaw squealed. She quickly licked Firestar between the ears and rushed into the apprentices den, and surprisingly, she stumbled and fell head over heels at one point, laughed and started running again. Firestar sighed. He padded back to his den, curled up in the moss and lay his head on his paws. He closed his eyes, he was also very excited about hunting with Rosepaw. He felt almost a fatherly bond to the newest apprentice. He closed his eyes, and fell asleep, his mind filled with content and happy thoughts. The scent of warm fresh kill filled up inside of him. Tomorrow, ThunderClan would feast. **_


	4. Chapter 4

Rosepaw was already waiting outside of the apprentices den as Firestar padded up to her.

" What are you doing up so early?" Firestar meowed. Rosepaw blinked at him.

" You're up too, you know." She spat. Firestar flinched at the iciness in her tone.

" Let's get hunting, now." Rosepaw meowed, all traces of iciness in her tone were gone and excitement was brimming in her voice. Before Firestar could reply she raced through the gorse tunnel and was halfway up the ravine by the time her was outside.

" Keep up!" She hissed. Firestar was puzzled by her constant mood swings. One moment she'd be as cheerful as a sunny day spent playing and the next moment she'd be as bitter and deadly as death berries. Firestar sighed.

" Are you coming, or will I have to go by myself?" Rosepaw spat from the top of the ravine. Firestar caught up.

" Rosepaw, you may not understand this, but I'm the mentor, not you." Firestar gazed at her. Rosepaw blinked as if she was surprised.

" Well, Firestar, I… I was just…." Rosepaw flattened her ears. " I'm sorry, Firestar." She gazed up at him. Firestar refused to meet her eyes.

" Well, I sure hope so." Firestar meowed before he kept moving again. Rosepaw eagerly moved next to him. Firestar kept his mouth slightly open to drink in the scents of the forest. A familiar, enticing scent drifted into his mouth.

" Rosepaw, what do you smell?" Firestar murmured. Rosepaw opened her mouth and narrowed her eyes.

" Prey?" She mewed uncertainly.

" I mean what kind of prey, Rosepaw?" Firestar mewed impatiently. Rosepaw's eyes filled with panic and uncertainty. She shuffled her paws.

" Uhhh, uhh. Uhh, I don't know!" Rosepaw cried. Firestar rolled his eyes.

" Rosepaw, watch me." Firestar mewed sternly. Rosepaw nodded and whimpered. Firestar leapt into the bush and carried a fat, gray mouse. Firestar put down the prey in front of her paws.

" Rosepaw, it was a mouse!" Firestar spat, " This is all very basic, I thought that you'd know the scent by heart."

" I'm not good at remembering the names." Rosepaw murmured, her ears flattened and her head was drooping so low it was almost to her paws. Firestar blinked in disgust.

" Rosepaw, you need to remember those things, I may not always be there to tell you what you've caught." Firestar mewed. Rosepaw blinked in reply.

" Let's keep moving." Firestar meowed simply. Rosepaw lagged behind.

" Rosepaw, you'll scare away all the prey if you go on walking like that." Firestar scolded. The sound of crunching leaves stopped. Then, another prey scent came into the air, this time, it was a rabbit scent. Firestar licked his chops.

" What do you smell?" Firestar asked. Rosepaw shuffled her feet. She closed her eyes and breathed in as much of the scent as she could possibly take.

" It's a rodent, bigger than a mouse, but smaller than a squirrel, the kind with long ears and a tail that looks like a tiny cloud." She said uncertainly. She opened her eyes to see if she was right.

" You mean a rabbit." Firestar said. " Good, but next time save the description and remember the name." Rosepaw grunted.

" Rosepaw, I'm the mentor." Firestar hissed. Rosepaw suddenly sprang into the bush.

" We forgot about the rabbit." She mewed when she got came back.

" You were a bit too noisy. You probably scared it off." Firestar observed. Rosepaw sighed.

" Could you please take some constructive criticism without huffing and puffing about it?" Firestar hissed. Rosepaw nodded. They kept moving. Another scent caught Firestar's attention, but it wasn't a prey scent.

"That scent I know the name of." Rosepaw murmured more to herself then to anyone else.

" That's cat scent!" Rosepaw raced into the brush. Firestar followed her. She followed until she found a large place, branches, sharp rocks, and a large cluster of thorn bushes reeking with many unrecognizable cat-scents. Rosepaw began to slip through the thorns trying to get to the other side. Firestar began to follow her. It was tricky to spot her, her black and gray fur blended in with her surroundings. Firestar watched her slip into through the last knarred, thorny branch, and into a sunlit clearing. Rosepaw's eyes grew wide, and her body limp. She recognized this small place. Suddenly, out of a crag in one of the rock's standing around the clearing, appeared a large, black cat. He looked up, his eyes were an intense shade of violet, and his muscles were easily visible beneath his sleek, black pelt, there was large scar over his left eye, a bald where fur had been pulled out. He stared at Rosepaw for a moment, when a coal gray she-cat slunk out of the crag after him. Her muscles also shown under her sleek, coal gray fur. She blinked her pale lilac eyes, and stared at Rosepaw. Rosepaw froze, and whimpered. The gray she-cat blinked for a moment.

" Who are you?" The black cat hissed. Rosepaw couldn't answer if she tried. Then, Firestar slid through the thorns.

" Actually, we should be asking that question." Firestar said calmly, narrowing his dark green eyes.

" We live here." The black cat snarled.

" Well, guess what?" Rosepaw finally found strength enough to talk. " You're going to have to pack up and move out because you are on ThunderClan territory, if you don't mind."

" Matter of fact, we do mind, you worthless scrap of fur." The black cat yowled. Rosepaw looked like she was ready to bite him.

" Well too bad!" Rosepaw snarled. The coal grey cat looked at Rosepaw with interest. Rosepaw felt her eyes singing her fur. An image flashed by behind her eyes. There was a coal gray cat, curled up in a sunny plain, she was playing with two kits, one was black as ash, and the other was black and coal grey, the second kit turned around, and her lilac eyes shown. Rosepaw cried out. She dropped to the ground.

" What is the little piece of Fox Dung doing?" The black cat snarled. Firestar flared with fury. He threw himself at the black cat and dug his claws into his back. The black cat thrashed around, he threw Firestar off of him, Firestar landed with a thud, and scrambled back to his paws, he threw himself back at the cat and knocked him to the ground. He pinned the massive cat and held him down, digging his claws into his shoulders. The black cat's eyes glowed with blind fury, and he rolled, now Firestar was the one pinned. The cat leaned forward to bite Firestar's neck. Firestar threw his head up and sunk his teeth into the tender front of the black cat's throat. The black cat dug his massive claws into Firestar's side, and Firestar immediately let go of the cat's neck. Scarlet blood oozed from the cat's neck and glistened on his black fur. Firestar leapt up, pushing the large cat off of him with his hind legs. He rolled over, and circled around his enemy, watching his every mood. The massive cat rolled over, and picked himself up, panting heavily.

" Rosepaw, run!" Firestar yowled. Rosepaw looked torn, Her impulse to obey her mentor intertwined with her urge to help him. Finally, the larger cat sprung forward at Firestar, Firestar rolled onto his back, he raked the large cat's underbelly with his hind claws. The cat let out a yowl of pain and sprung back. Firestar rolled over, and crawled onto his feet. Before the other cat could make a move, Firestar found a gap in the thorns and sprang for it.

" Rosepaw! Follow me!" He yowled before disappearing into the thorny depths. The black cat lunged for the stunned Rosepaw, terrified, Rosepaw leapt, leaving a chunk of black and grey fur between his claws. She, too disappeared, leaving the other two cats in silence.

" Shade." The coal grey cat meowed urgently, " I think the small one was our missing kit." The black cat threw his violet gaze on her.

" Dusk, I believe you're right." He mewed after a long pause.

" Gather the rest of the cats, we'll follow their scent back to where they live." Dusk mewed, crouching low to the ground, and sounding a piercing yowl. Through the thorns, more cats began to appear.

"Prepare for an attack. This may end badly." Shade meowed to the rest of the cats.

A/N: R&R. Tell me what you think, should I continue, or wipe this fic off the face of the planet. I got a review saying how Rosepaw was a bit of a Mary Sue, if it makes a difference, I tried to show a darker, less perfect side of her. Please tell me what you think. AquaFreez


	5. Chapter 5

**A/R: R&R, Also, if you aren't fond of unhappy endings, do not read the following chapter. Instead you can dream that everything turns out fine. But to me, it seems that the sad fics are always my favorites. So those of you who are brave enough to read this, Enjoy!**

Rosepaw and Firestar ran through the forest, Rosepaw sprinted through the gorse tunnel as fast as possible. She stopped in the middle of the clearing, tripping over Dustpelt, who was sitting in a sunny spot. Rosepaw toppled over, landing with a loud thump.

" Watch it, you great lump!" Dustpelt hissed. Rosepaw was too tired to say a thing. Finally, ignoring Dustpelt's comment, she leapt up and ran back out of the gorse tunnel.

" Firestar?" Rosepaw called, looking around desperately. Firestar leapt out from the bushes and stopped in front of her.

" Rosepaw, I told you to run!" Firestar hissed. Rosepaw looked at him with defiance glowing in her gaze.

" You expected me to leave you Firestar." Rosepaw hissed, " To leave you there alone!"

" I can take care of my self." Firestar meowed sternly.

" Firestar, what if you'd died?" Rosepaw cried.

" Then my deputy would be leader." Firestar meowed halfheartedly.

" It wouldn't be the same!" Rosepaw mewed, fear and worry leaked into her voice, " Firestar, I'd rather die than come back without you." Firestar looked at her.

" Enough." He meowed, it was all he could do to stay calm and not flop down and whimper pathetically like a kit.

" Never tell me to run away, because I won't." Rosepaw mewed stubbornly, " I won't abandon my leader." But there was more to it than that, she couldn't help but feel responsible if he had dies while she ran away like a scared kit, she wouldn't let him die any more than she would let her father die. Firestar and Rosepaw stepped through the gorse tunnel. Firestar leapt onto the Highrock and yowled the familiar call to start a Clan meeting. As everyone gathered, he began to speak of what had happened.

" We must prepare for an attack." He finally yowled, finishing what he was saying, as if on queue, there was a rustling in the trees around the camp. The elders were rushed into their den, and the Warriors formed in a circle, facing towards the trees. He could see dark shapes among the branches of the trees. The, two shapes fell from a tree, and standing in the clearing was the two cats he'd seen earlier, Shade and Dusk.

" Hello." Shade meowed coolly, his tone was anything but friendly. " We have some unfinished business." Sandstorm pressed herself against Firestar's side. The black cat moved forward and placed himself in front of Firestar. Shade threw his head back and yowled. In a flash, he pounced onto Firestar, digging his sharp claws into Firestar's back. Firestar yowled, and in a flash, cats were engaged in battle all around the clearing. Firestar glimpsed Sandstorm pinned across the clearing by the coal gray cat. Firestar had to trust himself that she'd be okay. Shade was tearing his back to shreds. Firestar yowled and flung himself on his back. Shade was now the one on the bottom, Firestar bit into Shade's throat, and Shade yowled in pain, his struggling weakened, but he was still strong. Shade pierced his claws into Firestar's chest, and Firestar was forced to let go of his hold on Shade's neck, even though Shade didn't retract his claws. Firestar Buried his claws between Shade's ribs. Shade didn't let go, so Firestar pushed them in farther. He dragged his claws down until they met at his underbelly. Shade yowled, and hot, crimson blood oozed from his wounds, sparkling in the sun high light that shone from the sky. Shade's claws pierced farther into Firestar's chest, he went limp, and he began to writhe in Shade's grasp. Shade, retracted his claws and pushed Firestar's body off of him. Firestar blinked, he felt one life weaker. He got up, his strength quickly came back to him ,and pounced onto Shade's back.

"We're not done yet." Firestar murmured into Shade's ear before her closed his mouth on the thin bit of skin. He pierced through his ear, and hot, sour blood rushed into his mouth. Shade yowled and shook Firestar off, a chunk of his ear came with him. Firestar got up off the ground, and spat, sending blood onto the ground. Shade glared at him, blood was running down the side of his face, on the opposite side of his scar, his ear was overcome by blood, and Firestar thought it would never end. The two cat's flung themselves at each other, and writhed in a mess of flying fur and clashing claws. Firestar was pinned, and Shade slowly and dramatically lowered his head down, his fangs glinting in the suns, and closed his grip around Firestar's neck. Firestar yowled in agony, and ripped at Shade from under him, Firestar's claws and paws were sticky with blood, and it was hard to move his toes. The clearing was shining red by sunset; but the battle wasn't over yet. Shade lay panting on his side, he was left with half an ear, a stomach that looked like raw fresh kill and one of his fang's was chipped. Firestar wasn't faring much better. His claws were dull and he could hardly feel his paws. His cheek was scratched and his back was raw and throbbing. The two cats circled each other. Firestar walked with a slight limp.

" You're an honorable fighter." Shade huffed, he breathed heavily between breathes.

" I can't say that you aren't either." Firestar grunted. The sky was darkening, and the first lights of Silverpelt were beginning to dot the sky. Shade looked at him suspiciously. Finally, the massive black cat flung himself at Firestar. Firestar was ready for him. They rolled around vigorously. It was dark, and the cats around fought in the dark, by the light of Silverpelt. Across the clearing, Rosepaw was tussling with a small, thin gray tom. The tom looked no older than her. Rosepaw's strength was receding and she was struggling to keep fighting. The cat lunged for her, and grabbed her by the scruff, lifting her off the ground. She swung around, and grasped his face with her claws, below his eyes, she clung to him with her claws. The cat mewed in pain, and Rosepaw pinched harder. The young cat screeched. He dropped her, and she flopped to the ground, her claws sheathed the moment he let go. He ran from the clearing, his ears flat and his tail straight behind him. Rosepaw gasped for air. Then a yowl of pain sounded from across the clearing. _Firestar!_ she thought urgently. She sprang over fighting cats and more than once stepped through pools of blood. She found Firestar lying underneath Shade, Shade's claw's were dug into Firestar's shoulder, and he was receiving another bite in the neck. Rosepaw pounced at the black cat, and clung to his back. Shade whirled around, and batted her off, and scratching her with his sharp claws. She landed on the ground with a thump, and something inside of her burned with agonizing pain. As Shade went to bite Firestar again, she came back after him. She grasped his tail between her paws and dug her paws in. Shade whipped around to grab her, but she used her small little legs to scrabble after him like Twoleg. He tired out from running around, but he was yet to stop, at one moment, Rosepaw lost her grip on his tail and thumped onto the ground. Shade pinned her between his paws.

" You are a worthless scrap of fur, you have no honor, chasing around my tail like a cowardly mouse. I should end your life right here, right now." Shade hissed. Rosepaw clenched her eyes shut, waiting for the killing blow, then an image flashed before her eyes. A queen with a newborn litter, her stomach still swollen from the birth, nursing a small litter, one black and one a familiar black and gray. The father stood over the mother, he turned his head at the right moment, and his violet eyes came into view. Rosepaw's eyes sprung open. She stared at the cat pinning her down.

" You were my _father_?" Rosepaw sputtered. Shade looked caught off-guard. Shade stared at her defiantly.

" By blood, yes. But at heart, you are no daughter of mine!" Shade growled, and before Rosepaw could say a word, her slashed his long claws down her body. Rosepaw shuddered for a moment, and suddenly, she lay limp. Her breathing slowed, and her view blurred and faded. She saw a bright orange blur leap onto a large black shape over her.

Firestar's strength was quenched by his anger. He felt as if his daughter had just been slain to a merciless death. He clawed without any further thought at the Black cat. Stunned, Shade was frozen in place, he fell to the ground and his defense was feeble. Firestar stood over Shade.

" You hurt her." Firestar hissed. Shade stared up at him.

" She was no more than a tick in my pelt. I did what I should have done the moment she was born." Shade rasped under Firestar's weight.

"To some, she was like a daughter, have you ever considered that?" Firestar hissed, with a stab of pain.

"No." Shade spat, " And I never will." Firestar prepared to make one final lunge.

" Than you deserve to die." Firestar meowed coolly. He lunged forward and bit into the massive cat's throat. Shade's head became nothing more than dead weight. The blood inside of him pulsed for a moment, then stopped. Firestar limped over to where Rosepaw lay. Blood pulsed from her stomach and chest. She was panting heavily.

" Firestar." Rosepaw rasped, she glanced over to Shade's body, " You were more of a father than he ever was." Firestar bent down to her.

" No, Rosepaw." Firestar began to lick her wounds, " No… no. You're not dying." He hardly believed what he was saying.

" Firestar, like I've said earlier, I'd rather die than leave you without help." She mewed, " Shade may have killed you if I didn't help, you were already beginning to blank out." Than Firestar felt a twinge of guilt. He'd never told her about how leaders got nine lives, and now she was dying for nothing.

" Rosepaw, leaders have nine lives, you're here for nothing, you should have only escaped with scratches!" Firestar mewed in despair. Rosepaw blinked.

" I don't care." Rosepaw mewed feebly, " I'd give up my one life for one of your nine." Firestar couldn't live with the guilt surging through him. He rolled her over, and picked her up from the ground, but he'd nowhere to take her.

" Please, put me down." Rosepaw mewed weakly. Firestar gently laid her back down.

" Goodbye, Firestar." Rosepaw mewed gently, " I hunt with StarClan, now." Her soft lilac eyes clouded over, unseeing, and Firestar blinked in surprise as he looked at the small, black and gray apprentice, taken away so early into life. Firestar threw his head back and yowled for grief. Other cats looked at him sympathetically. Sandstorm silently walked up to his side. She leaned against him, comfortingly. She blinked at him.

" Oh, Sandstorm." Firestar mewed, " She was so young. This is all my fault." Sandstorm tilted her head.

" Oh, Firestar. You blame yourself to much." Her voice was heavy and filled to the brim wit sorrow. Firestar pushed himself closer to her.

" This time it was my fault. She didn't know I still had seven lives left." Firestar meowed. Sandstorm blinked at him.

" Firestar, if she obviously wanted to save you, even if you had told her, she would've helped you anyway." Sandstorm mewed, before she turned away and sat behind him.

" Mourn her." She meowed quietly. Firestar padded forward, and pressed his nose into Rosepaw's pelt. He breathed in her scent, the smell of hot moss and dried pine needles. He began to share tongues with her for the last time. He licked her fur smooth, until it was so slick that she could slide easily through an adder's fangs without getting bitten. Firestar sat by her all night, and as she was carried off to be buried, Firestar was the first one to give her a final lick goodbye. Sadness clouded his eyes, as the young apprentice was carried farther into the woods, where Firestar would never see her again until it was his time to join StarClan.

**A/N: I warned you it was sad, but life is sad too. It's truly horrible that Rosepaw was killed by her own father, but hey that's they way I made the story. If you don't like it, send me a flamer, and you can see how maturely I act about it. (for those of you who didn't catch the hint, that was a CHALLENGE) ;o] *Hint hint* **


	6. Epilogue

**A/N: I never said it was over, there is still an Epilogue! Ha, ha, ha, fooled you! R&R **

Rosepaw woke up at Fourtrees. Silverpelt seemed extremely bright tonight. The last thing she'd remembered was Firestar standing over her telling her not to die. She let out a _mrrow_ of laughter.

" Firestar, Firestar. I'm _not_ dead." She murmured to herself. Then, she was surrounded by many different cats. Rosepaw jumped back.

" Who are you?" Rosepaw mewed. A blue-gray she-cat stepped in front of the others.

" I am Bluestar, former leader of ThunderClan." The she-cat meowed.

" Former?" Rosepaw meowed uncertainly. Bluestar's eyes softened.

" Rosepaw, you don't understand, do you?" Bluestar meowed, " You've joined StarClan." Rosepaw blinked.

" What? No, no that's not true!" Rosepaw stuttered, " I can't, what about, about….." Bluestar stepped forward and rested her head on Rosepaw's shoulder.

" But… Firestar." Rosepaw murmured. Bluestar's eyes closed.

" Firestar is where he needs to be." Bluestar mewed reassuringly, " But, I understand how you feel." Rosepaw looked up into Bluestar's deep blue eyes.

" Bluestar, he _needs _me." Rosepaw mewed. She looked over her shoulder. Bluestar sighed.

" Rosepaw, I think _you_ need _him_ as much as _he_ needs _you_." Bluestar meowed so only Rosepaw could hear. Rosepaw looked up at her.

" Will I ever see him again?" Rosepaw mewed.

" Yes. He will visit here, and eventually join us when the time comes." Bluestar meowed.

" Bluestar, I need to know that he's okay." Rosepaw meowed. Bluestar gazed down at her. She flicked her tail to follow her. Rosepaw eagerly ran after her. Bluestar ran the familiar way to the ThunderClan camp. Here, it was as clear as day. Cats walked around the clearing eagerly, but it was still devastated in blood from yesterday's battle. The cat's walking around weren't entirely there, ghostly and almost transparent. The cats walked around, and they didn't even notice they were there. Firestar sat in the mouth of his den, his head was on his paws, and his eyes were gazing into space with sadness. Rosepaw ran forward.

"Firestar!" Rosepaw called, dashing forward. Firestar lifted his head and looked around as if he'd been roused. Rosepaw dove towards him and rolled until she landed at his side. She pressed herself against him and felt the warmth of his fur. He leaned towards her and sniffed.

" Rosepaw? Is that you?" Firestar asked uncertainly. Rosepaw rolled over next to him.

" Oh, Firestar!" Rosepaw squealed. Firestar blinked.

" Rosepaw!" He murmured. His eyes lit up. Rosepaw purred loud enough to rouse the ShadowClan camp. The sadness in Firestar's eyes melted away like an ice cream cone on a hot day.

" Oh, Rosepaw." He purred, " I've missed you."

" I've missed you, Firestar." Rosepaw purred, " More than you'll ever know." Firestar closed his eyes. Bluestar looked over at Rosepaw and Firestar, warmth in her blue eyes. She gave a flick of her tail, telling her it was time to go. Rosepaw reluctantly lifted herself to her paws. She sighed and glanced back at Firestar laying there. She bent down and licked him on the top of the head.

"Take care, Firestar, this isn't the final 'Goodbye'." Rosepaw mewed, before she followed Bluestar out of the clearing. She turned around, and looked over her shoulder, before disappearing back into the woods.

" This isn't the end." She meowed, " Not yet." Her tail tip disappeared, and she was gone.

**A/N: R&R ! Now it's the end. You may applaud. *This story may/may not continue.* You decide, should I do a sequel? Send me a review, you know you loved it! AquaFreez. ****:oD **


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